MotoGP teams for 04

[NateDogg]

MotoGP


Honda

15 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Telefonica Movistar Honda
3 Max BIAGGI ITA Camel Pramac Honda Pons
45 Colin EDWARDS USA Telefonica Movistar Honda
6 Makoto TAMADA JPN Camel Pramac Honda Pons
69 Nicky HAYDEN USA Repsol Honda

Yamaha

46 Valentino ROSSI ITA Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha
7 Carlos CHECA SPA Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha
33 Marco MELANDRI ITA Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3

Ducati

11 Ruben XAUS SPA D’Antin Ducati MotoGP
12 Troy BAYLISS AUS Ducati Marlboro Team
50 Neil HODGSON GBR D’Antin Ducati MotoGP
65 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Ducati Marlboro Team

Proton

80 Kurtis ROBERTS USA Proton Team KR
9 Nobuatsu AOKI JPN Proton Team KR

Aprilia

99 Jeremy McWILLIAMS GBR Aprilia Racing
67 Shane BYRNE GBR Aprilia Racing

Kawasaki

56 Shinya NAKANO JPN Kawasaki Racing Team
66 Alex HOFMANN GER Kawasaki Racing Team

Suzuki
10 Kenny ROBERTS USA Team Suzuki MotoGP
21 John HOPKINS USATeam Suzuki MotoGP

**
To be confirmed. Harris WCM, WCM
To be confirmed. Honda, Repsol Honda
To be confirmed. Yamaha, Fortuna Gauloises Tech 3

 

[Shadscbr]

That has to be the deepest MOTOGP field I think I have ever seen, no slackers!! 2004 looks like it will be a fantastic racing season. For the first time in years, Honda, Yamaha, and Ducati all look like they have a fair shot at the title. Does anyone have any early predictions? Here is my wishful top 5 in no particular order:
Hayden
Edwards
Rossi
Biaggi
Gibernau

I also think Hodgson could creep up there too.
What do you guys think?

 

[NateDogg]

yeah, this field is amazing, rider and bikes. Early season picks eh? Well of course I hope Hayden wins em all, heh. Even though Rossi is on a yamaha, you still have to believe he is still the favorite bar none. But I think right behind him its going to be a dog fight with Hayden and Gibernau with Biaggi, Bayliss and Edwards up there. But I think L Cap will win races, Tamada I think will do better than people think. I wouldn't be suprised if Neil was up there, he is usally pretty consistant like bayliss. I think the Bike championship will Be close but Honda then Ducati then Yamaha, then Suzuki, Kawa, Proton, Aprilla. I can't wait for the start.

 

[Shadscbr]

I agree NateDogg, I would love it if Nicky would win the championship, I will be jumping up and down screaming and cheering for him each race. However, I think a top 3 finish overall is more likely, but still quite impressive. If I had to pick the top three right now, it would be Rossi, Biaggi, then Hayden, but it is very early, I may be eating my words at the end of the season.

You're right, no matter what bike he is on, Rossi will most likely win it, barring injury, and Honda will win the manufacturers title......no question, their combination of bikes and riders is almost unfair. Honda seems to be the Microsoft of MotoGp

It's nice to see so many Americam riders for a change. Two of them, Hayden and Edwards, are really doing well so far in pre-season practice. Nicky set the fastest lap ever on a motorcycle at Sepang, nice work from a dirt tracker from Kentucky

Slightly OT.....in AMA, I would like to see the Bostrom brothers take a one, two finish, but I fear Eric's Ducati will not be able to hang with the inline 4's (similar to the Kawasaki 750/800 curse of the last few years), but it won't be from a lack of effort, Eboz puts in 111%. In pre season testing, the Yamaha superstock machines have been faster than the superbikes...So I look for a strong Yamaha showing. I really don't want Mladin to win again, ultimately, I would like to see the Honda of Bboz or Duhamel on top of the box.

Any early predictions on AMA superbike? Any idea why Kawasaki is not racing the seemingly fast ZX-10RR in superbike? I bet Tommy Hayden would do wonders on it, he has a great style and is fun to watch.

 

[NateDogg]

Originally posted by Shadscbr@Feb 25 2004, 09:40 PM
Nicky set the fastest lap ever on a motorcycle at Sepang, nice work from a dirt tracker from Kentucky

Yeah I find that amazing. Here he was in my backyard little old dirt track in Peoria a year ago racing now hes got a shot at a world title in europe. Gotta love that.

This season can do nothing but rock. Such Hype. Yeah, anyone on a Honda is a threat to win just about any race, then you have perhaps the greatest rider of all time on a seemingly secondary bike that in preseason even with the master him self is putting up .5 sec or more slower laps. Which is leading to Rossi calling for changes which has the yamaha engineers buzzing around nonstop, hehe. Then there is Ducati with twice the bikes this year will have their new bike problems gone by a couple of rounds. Yeah most people do eat their words by the end, hehe, probally including me, heh.